Prayers Version 1
by katie1999
Summary: When Zorro is badly injured, those around him pray for his life. This story comes in versions, one good, one bad. The first chapter will be the same for both only the second chapter will differ. If you only like happy endings, don't read this one.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** _I wrote this story in two versions-one good, one bad. If you don't like bad endings, don't read Version 1. The first chapter will be the same for both stories, only the second chapter will differ._

__Disclaimer: This story was written solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe on any copyrights held by Goodman/Rosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else.__

**Prayers**

**Chapter 1**

In the cave Felipe leaped to his feet when he saw Zorro slumped over Toronado's neck. Before he could fall to the ground Felipe caught him in his arms, but he couldn't hold the heavy body. Slowly he lowered him to the cold ground and under his hands the body became slippery from the blood in his hands.

Working swiftly he removed the shirt to look for the wound in the chest from the bullet that had hit him in the back to leave it again at the front. With bandages that were always ready he tried to still the bleeding as good as he could. The whole time Zorro had been unconscious and he knew it was bad and more than he could handle on his own. Diego had to be removed from the icy floor and put into his bed and Dr. Hernandez would be needed as well.

Felipe opened the secret passage and ran to Alejandro's bedroom. It took him a moment to shake him awake.

"Felipe, what is it?" Alejandro looked surprised at Felipe who was gesturing to come with him urgently. Hastily Alejandro put on some trousers and shoes before he followed Felipe who hurried ahead into the library. Felipe left him no time to ask questions about the opening behind the fireplace and urged him to follow him. A moment later Alejandro found himself in a cave he had had no knowledge of before and that was fully equipped with all kind things whose purpose luded him. His attention was soon drawn to the man lying on the floor of the cave. Zorro was still wearing his mask, but his shirt had been removed and the bandages on his chest were turning red again.

"Zorro, what is he doing here and what is this place? Felipe, tell me what is going on?"

Felipe checked on Diego who had not moved while he had been away. That the bleeding had not stopped despite of his efforts worried him deeply. He motioned Alejandro to help him move Zorro. Using a blanket as a makeshift stretcher they carried Diego under Felipe's instruction to Diego's room and put him on his bed.

Only when he was safely in bed did he take the time to look at his grandfather. Instead of answering Alejandro's confused questions he shoved the Zorro's mask away to reveal Diego's face to his father.

"Diego?" Alejandro sat down in shock on the bed with his unconscious son. Felipe put a compassionate hand on his shoulder and signed him that he was going to get the doctor. Too numb from the sudden revelation Alejandro only nodded and looked at his son.

"Diego, why didn't you tell me?" he whispered only taking his son's hand unaware of Felipe's leaving. "Diego, don't die on me, please."

On Toronado's back who was still saddled Felipe reached Dr. Hernandez House in a short time. The doctor who was used to be called in the middle of the night answered quickly to the knocking on his door fully dressed and his bag in his hand. When he saw recognized the young man and the horse he was riding his face turned to concern. This was the call he had always been dreading since Zorro had appeared in the pueblo and the way Felipe was looking at him meant nothing good.

"Zorro?" Dr. Hernandez asked. Felipe nodded.

"Where? At the de la Vega hacienda?" Another nod. "I'll hurry." The doctor wanted to round his house for the stables, but Felipe motioned him to mount behind on Toronado while he climbed into the saddle. Toronado would accept another person on his back he he was accompanied by either Zorro or Felipe. In no time they were on their way to the hacienda again.

As soon as he entered the room, Dr Hernandez set on his task to save the man who had done so much for this pueblo. Somehow it wasn't a surprise to see Diego de la Vega lying there unconsciously, his life slowly dripping away with every bit of blood he was losing.

Alejandro simply sat there on a chair in the corner of the room giving the doctor space to take care of his son. He remembered the many times he had voiced his disappointment in Diego humiliating him in front of others. Only to find out now that he had been wrong the whole time. He wanted to shake his son in anger about his deceit and tell him at the same time how sorry he was. But there was nothing he could do to get through to him to make him hear his words.

"How is he?" Alejandro asked with a cracked voice.

"Diego has lost a lot of blood, his condition is very grave," Hernandez said in a severe voice.

Felipe had already left again. There was one more thing he needed to do tonight before he brought back Toronado to the cave. He had to inform Victoria.

Z Z Z

Victoria didn't know what to expect when she heard the knocking at the tavern door. A late traveler maybe who was looking for a room, the alcalde with his soldiers trying to find Zorro or maybe Zorro who needed her help.

After hastily putting on some clothes she slightly opened the door. After a moment she made out the shape of her nightly visitor.

"Felipe? What do you want here at this hour? Shouldn't you be asleep already? Is something wrong?"

Felipe made a 'Z' with his hand and indicated her to come with him. Victoria turned white when she realized what it meant. Zorro needed her now and he was in no position to come by himself. She grabbed a shawl from a racket near the door and followed Felipe outside. As with the doctor Felipe took her up on Toronado to take her to the hacienda.

Felipe left Victoria at the front door while he rode around the hacienda to the hidden entrance of the cave.

When he emerged from the cave again he found Victoria standing in the parlor waiting for someone to lead her to Zorro.

Surprised she saw him come out of the library when she hadn't seen him entered the house at all.

"Felipe, where is Zorro? Tell me what is going on?"

Felipe signed her to follow him leading her to Diego's room.

"Where are we going, Felipe? This is Diego's room! Is something wrong with him? I thought this was about Zorro?"

The door to the room was standing half open and Felipe pushed it open to reveal the view on the bed. Dr. Hernandez had just finished his ministrations and drew a sheet over Diego's chest.

"I've done my best, Don Alejandro, but I don't think it will be enough. Diego has lost a lot of blood and it will be a wonder if he lasts more than a day."

With horror Victoria listened to his words. "Diego? He is dying? But why? How?"

Alejandro came a little out of his stupor to rise from his chair and answer her. "Diego was shot by a bullet tonight. I hardly know anything more than you do. But since you and Diego or rather you and Zorro were so close, we thought it would be appropriate to inform you before.. before.." His voice broke.

"Are you saying that Diego is Zorro and that he is dying?" "When she looked around and only got a nod from Felipe and Alejandro she covered her mouth with her hands and began to cry.

"Is there nothing you can do?" Questioning she looked at Dr. Hernandez.

Sadly he looked at her. "I've done everything I could. All we can do now is to pray."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – Version 1**

In the silent hours of the night that followed the dreadful news those who loved Diego the most began to pray, hoping for him to survive.

"Dear god, please let him live," Alejandro silently prayed, "he is my only son, please give me the chance to tell him how much I love him and that I'm proud of him. I want to take back the hurting word I told him and ask him his forgiveness."

Victoria took hold of Diego's hand and looked into his quiet face. Now that she looked more closely than she had the years before she could easily image the upper part of face covered with a black cloth showing the distinct features of Zorro.

"Diego, why didn't you ever tell me?" she whispered. "Why couldn't you believe me that I would love you without a mask?"

"Please, Diego, you must live, there is still so much ahead of us. We wanted to marry and have children. Please, god, let him survive. He is such a good man. He did so much for me and never got anything in return."

In the cave Felipe sat down at Diego's desk to pray for Diego.

"Please dear god, let him survive. He took me in when I had nothing, he was a father to me when I lost mine. He was there when I needed him, he believed in me when I didn't. Please, let him make it through the night."

Diego never regained consciousness and those who loved him could only watched helplessly how he became weaker and weaker by the moment. They had no more chance to talk to him ask him his forgiveness or tell him how much they loved him.

Victoria and Alejandro never left his side anymore until the moment he stopped breathing two days later. Felipe had stayed mainly in the cave as Diego's room was already crowded and there he felt closer to Diego than at his bedside.

Z Z Z

After the funeral Alejandro sat down on his favorite chair at the hacienda too numb from the shock of having lost his only son in such a dramatic way.

After some time he seemed to come out of his stupor at little, but to the horror of those around him, he seemed to have forgotten Diego's death. He began to call for his son complaining about him never to be there when he needed him. The phases when he no longer realized that his son was dead became more and more and Felipe and Victoria didn't know what was worse, Alejandro brooding motionlessly in his chair when he was aware of the truth or his ranting about Diego's absence when he wasn't.

In the week after the funeral Victoria was attacked twice in the tavern. Since Zorro was dead now, she was without her constant protector and only the last minute interventions of some customers saved her from being robbed of more than her money. After the third attack in three weeks she gave up. She felt too vulnerable now and on the invitation on Alejandro and Felipe she moved to the hacienda.

Felipe felt helpless and left alone with the situation. Alejandro's mental state deteriorated more and more and he became unreliable in managing the ranch. Victoria tried to help out with her business knowledge, but neither she nor Felipe knew how to manage the hacienda. Diego had been the designated heir and had had the knowledge to take over from his father. Without Alejandro's competent hand they were swindled at the auctions and had to take some severe blows in business forcing them to sell some of the land. If they weren't able to catch up with their losses soon, they would slowly lose everything Alejandro had worked for his whole life.

After de Soto's return to Madrid he soon found out that there was no glory to be gained from killing the hero. Due to his long absence from Madrid de Soto was unaware of the change of opinion on Zorro that had happened during his absence. Always fed by news from Zorro's latest adventure by a skilled writer Zorro had become a legend larger than life at the court in Madrid.

When de Soto boasted with his achievement of having killed Zorro he didn't get the reaction he had expected. He was either met with disbelief, 'Zorro is a legend, no one can kill him,' or with disgust, 'Look at the man who killed our hero, stay away from him.' It was far from the glorious return he had imagined in his dreams and he tried to make up for the years he had been away from Madrid, but he never managed it.

Mendoza lost his appetite and never went to the tavern anymore after Victoria gave up cooking there. Besides her cooking he mainly missed his best friend Diego and he always expected him to enter the tavern and join him for a meal, but he knew that would never happen again.

So he was the only one of the garrison who ate at the garrison out of his own choice. The bad food there made him lose weight and soon he no longer resembled the well fed sergeant he used to be. With his weight he also lost his good humor and he became the rather slim and grumpy sergeant his soldiers began to fear.


End file.
